This article examines the ways the legal system of the Achaemenid Empire is represented in the biblical tradition, focusing on the Books of Ezra and Esther, which provide the most important information about the Achaemenid law. Particular emphasis is placed on the interpretation of key legal terms that denote law (dāt), royal order (db̲ar-malk̲ût̲ or db̲ar-hamelek), royal message (pithgam hamelek), and royal decree (tēm). The Book of Ezra, which cites certain royal decrees in Aramaic, uses the legal terminology accepted for referring to such decrees in the Semitic countries (for example, the term tēm is rendered in Babylonian as ṭēmu). However, in two instances where this Semitic tradition is abandoned, the word dāt for law corresponds most closely to the Old Persian term dāta-. In the Book of Esther, the Hebrew lexical unit dāt, considered as a borrowing from the Old Persian dāta- (law), appears in three main meanings: court regulations, traditional Persian customs, and royal decrees.

In this article, the Boeotian polis of Plataea is explored as a frontier zone between the political alliances of Classical Greece. Despite its marginal location, the region had a significant impact on the interactions of other poleis in the 5th century BC. Here, the logic of the inter-polis relations is elucidated using conceptual models (based on an adapted version of the frontier concept proposed by Hugh Elton) and relevant evidence from historical sources. The distinctive character of the contacts which developed between the Plataeans and their neighbors is demonstrated. The analysis reveals that, beginning in the late 6th century BC, Plataea presumed as a borderland situated between the Boeotian League and the Delian League. As a result, the Plataean polis became a frontier separating these two political entities and assumed the roles of both an area with flexible boundaries (in line with Elton’s theory) and a periphery within the territories controlled by each of the two hegemonic powers. It should be noted that Elton’s considerations focus specifically on Roman frontiers and thus refer to a different geographical and historical context. Therefore, the extent to which his theoretical construct can be applied to the world of ancient Greece is possibly a point of scholarly discussion. However, the fundamental promise of this approach lies in its ability to provide valuable insight into the dynamics of Greek frontier zones and, more generally, into the borderland communities of Antiquity.

This article explores the status of the monastic communities of Barking and Wilton and the fate of their noble nuns during the transition period from the Early to High Middle Ages, based on the study of the lives of St. Edith and St. Wulfhild, composed in the late 1070s and 1080s by Goscelin, an Anglo-Norman hagiographer. He assigned particular value and credibility to the women’s testimony and drew extensively on the local monastic traditions established by the first half of the 11th century. During St. Edith’s stay at Wilton, the community was more protected from external pressure than Barking. St. Edith, who was the daughter and sister of two Anglo-Saxon rulers, did not always observe the St. Benedict’s Rule required for monastic orders. However, this could not prevent the rapid spread of her cult. The findings demonstrate that the historical memory of both communities developed and preserved an image of the miracle-working female saints, which was not typical of early Anglo-Saxon hagiography, that became central to the local veneration in the 11th century. Another important feature of the hagiological ideas and monastic practices of the late Saxon convents was the key role of an active type of sanctity, which emphasizes service to others as a core value.

This article examines the formative period of Tatar folklore scholarship, with particular attention to the traditions that developed in the study of the Tatar fairy tale genre as its constituent part. The stages of collecting, recording, and publishing of folklore materials on the mythology of the Kazan Tatars and the research findings on Tatar fairy tales are outlined. The selected period from the second half of the 19th century to the first third of the 20th century, when ethnography appeared as a distinct scholarly branch, was marked by a growing interest in the cultures of the peoples who lived across the territory of the Russian Empire at that time. A theoretical framework that articulates key characteristics of the Tatar fairy tale genre is proposed. The texts of scholarly works dating to the considered period, in which the Tatar national consciousness is unveiled through the most representative Tatar mythological images and fairy tale plots, are carefully assessed. The study is methodologically based on comparative and typological analysis, through which the works of scholars devoted to the Tatar fairy tale and the mythology of the Kazan Tatars are explored. The most significant contributions to the study of this genre, which laid the foundation for the formation of Tatar national folklore scholarship, are identified.

During the Anglo-Boer War of 1899–1902, representatives of the South African Republic (Transvaal) and the Orange Free State sought diplomatic support in Europe. They hoped for diplomatic intervention from Russia, given its rivalry with Great Britain and no colonial interests in Africa. In the summer of 1900, a Boer deputation visited Saint Petersburg to request Russian mediation in the conflict with Great Britain. However, despite a warm public reception, the delegates did not get official support from the Russian government. A planned visit to Russia by the president of the Transvaal, P. Kruger, did not take place. In 1901, a secretary of the Transvaal mission in Brussels, F.A. van der Hoeven, arrived in Saint Petersburg and attended the court celebrations, which caused diplomatic friction. The Russian government, while formally recognizing the Boer republics, consistently avoided steps that could harm its relations with Great Britain and restricted press coverage of the visits by representatives of these states. The Boers’ diplomatic efforts failed to secure any effective assistance from Russia. 

S.E. Malov was an outstanding teacher of Turkology and a prominent expert on ancient Turkic runic and Uyghur monuments, as well as on the history, language, and culture of Turkic-speaking peoples. The year 2025 marks the 145th anniversary of his birth and the 110th anniversary of the completion of his Turkestan expedition. S.E. Malov’s life and rich scholarly legacy are closely linked to two major research journeys to Western China in 1909–1911 and 1913–1915, respectively. The contribution of these expeditions to the subsequent studies on the geopolitical and historical-cultural spaces of Central Asia in the late 19th and the first decades of the 20th centuries is invaluable. Among the most important outcomes was his discovery and publication, in collaboration with Academician V.V. Radlov, of the Uyghur translation of the Golden Light Sutra, an influential Mahayana Buddhist sacred text, which has become a turning point for the development of Turkology and Uyghur studies in Russia and abroad during the contemporary era. The present article focuses on S.E. Malov’s epistolary legacy. In particular, five letters to Academician V.V. Radlov, all taken from the S.E. Malov Collection in the St. Petersburg Branch of the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences, are briefly reviewed. Four of them were written while on the expedition across Qing China, and one was sent from Kazan on January 17, 1917. The first two letters from China and the letter from Kazan are provided as supplementary material.

This article reflects upon the integration processes within the post-Soviet space, spanning the period from 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed and the Belovezh Accords were signed, through 2024, which coincided with the BRICS summit held in Kazan on October 22–24 and marked the conclusion of Russia’s BRICS presidency. It is argued that the region has transformed to such an extent that contemporary scholars view it as part of Greater Eurasia or as Northeastern Eurasia, and the post-Soviet elites have long defined their political goals, with many adopting a multi-vector approach (where the partnership with Russia is one of such “vectors”). Particular attention is paid to the integration initiatives advocated by Russia. Using the results of a retrospective analysis, three stages of international political and economic processes in the post-Soviet space are identified: disintegration, diversification, and restructuring. The reasons behind the failure of the political integration projects in post-Soviet countries based on the Eurasian ideology and, conversely, the success of “functional” integration within the Eurasian Economic Union are discussed. It is concluded that the Russian Federation maintains its leadership in the space of North-Eastern Eurasia and also acts as a bridge between post-Soviet countries and emerging alternative centers of power represented by BRICS.

This article analyzes the escalation of tensions that arose between the United States and its European allies during the first presidency of Donald Trump. For many decades, transatlantic relations have been based on a strategic partnership. However, with the beginning of the Trump era, they changed significantly. In his first term, Trump, who was guided by an “America First” agenda, embarked on a policy of political isolationism and economic protectionism as the best way to secure America’s national interests, which resulted in the emergence of disagreements and contradictions with the national interests of European countries. Throughout Trump’s first term, the crisis evolved considerably, acquiring new dimensions. Its major flashpoints were the White House’s criticism of European integration and the unleashing of a tariff war against Europe. When Trump returned to the presidency for his second term, the future of transatlantic cooperation was brought again into the spotlight as a pressing issue, and there is every reason to believe that the existing transatlantic disagreements might persist or even intensify in the future.

This article reviews a number of studies pertaining to associative linguography, including those conducted with the use of associative dictionaries. It also examines the current state of interdisciplinary applied research focusing on the associative-verbal network, in which a prominent area of scholarly interest is the comparison of associative norms with affective ones. Drawing on data from multiple languages, the extrapolation of the affective and semantic characteristics of words that are associatively related is examined. Significant advances in our understanding of the associative network properties have been achieved by foreign scholars through the development of affective and semantic norm databases. For the Russian language, databases of affective parameters (VAD) and abstractness/concreteness ratings have recently been compiled. Based on the systematized foreign and national approaches to the creation of associative dictionaries, the structure of a thesaurus-type dictionary entry for the New Associative Dictionary with markup according to the affective and semantic parameters is described.

This article is based on data from the Russian National Corpus (RNC) on the use of the pronominal adverb nekogda (at one time) in Russian texts dating to 17th–18th centuries, which has not received much attention from researchers and thus remains an interesting open question. During the period under study, nekogda conveyed both negative and indefinite meanings. As an indefinite pronominal adverb, nekogda, unlike its modern counterpart, had a broad range of context-specific meanings: ‘kogda-to’ (someday), ‘kogda-nibud’ (once), ‘inogda’ (occasionally), ‘odnazhdy’ (one day), ‘kak-to’ (at one point), and ‘kak-to raz’ (on one occasion). According to the Dictionary of the Russian Language of the 11th–17th Centuries, the negative nekogda was synonymous with the pronominal adverb nikogda (under no circumstances), but was not used as a predicative pronominal adverb forming the Pron_neg Inf sentence structure with the infinitive. However, the evidence from the RNC suggests that the negative nekogda in the analyzed Russian texts of the 17th–18th centuries occurred only in predicative use and meant ‘net vremeni’ (there is no time), with only a single instance found in the texts of the 17th century. The findings allow for an assumption that nekogda in the meaning of ‘nikogda’ (under no circumstances) recorded in the Dictionary of the Russian Language of the 11th–17th Centuries is a spelling variant of the negative pronominal adverb nikogda, not a separate word.

The toponymic worldview, as a component of the broader linguistic worldview, most clearly demonstrates how humans perceive the surrounding space. It settles upon our established collective ideas about a certain territory, its various landscape and geographical features, that become rooted in the national mentality. In this sense, the process of human self-identification through geographical naming practices is determined in many ways by the gender aspect. Toponyms often reflect specific male and female characteristics, thus highlighting the importance of gender in human perception of the space. This article is based on a study of the usage of geographical names in Adygea and the Krasnodar region. A semantic domain defined as “gender relations” was singled out. Within its semantic structure, components such as “image of man”, “image of women”, and “image of kin” were established. The results obtained show that the identified naming models are anthroponymic in nature and function as the main mechanisms for generating most toponymic units. 

Verbal description of pain sensations constitutes an important task of linguistics, which is associated with the broader question of how the subjective experience is rendered through language. In this article, two major areas of linguistic studies on pain are examined. The first investigates the semantic core of the concept of pain by analyzing the morphological and syntactic characteristics of lexical units. The second is interested in the full spectrum of linguistic means that are used to recall negative experiences triggered by pain. The findings demonstrate that pain is often expressed indirectly. The main metaphorical models of pain verbalization are discussed, with the principles outlined for classifying the most common pain descriptors into different semantic domains. The results highlight the systematic character of linguistic representations of pain and emphasize the substantial value of linguistic studies and databases related to pain descriptions, ensuring more accurate diagnosis and better communication with patients, especially those with cognitive disorders.

A comparative diachronic study of the use of zoonyms denoting domestic animals in the Russian song genre from the 13th century up to now was carried out based on a quantitative analysis of their frequency of use, a linguoculturological analysis of their metaphorical functions, and a comparative historical interpretation of their semantic shifts. The material selected for the study included traditional (epic, ritual, lyrical, and peasant dance songs) and modern folklore. The frequency of occurrence, semantic transformations, and metaphorical functions of the identified zoonyms in different historical periods were examined. The overall evolution of zoomorphic symbolism was traced: from sacred and economic value in medieval folklore to metaphorical polyfunctionality in modern author songs. Special attention was paid to the changing connotations and stable archetypal images. The findings derived from the analysis indicate that zoonyms of the studied subgroup in Russian folk songs serve not only as means for creating imagery but also as markers of cultural memory, reflecting significant changes in worldview patterns and social practices.

In modern Russian, word formation is increasingly relying on prefixal models. Prefixation is traditionally considered to be a productive source of verbal forms. However, it is also widely employed to form substantives and adjectives in poetic language. Within poetic discourse, prefixes are the most powerful means of expression and fulfill a range of functions: nominative, stylistic, cognitive, and emotive. Among all prefixes, nedo- and pere- occupy a distinct place. Due to their semantic richness and density, they can significantly enhance the expressiveness of derivatives. Our analysis is based on a detailed study of 687 poetic works by Natalya Gorbanevskaya, Victor Sosnora, and Vladimir Strochkov. From these works, a total of 126 derivatives with nedo- and pere- were identified. The ability of nedo- and pere- to influence the degree of intensity, which underlies their extensive use in highly expressive and hyperbolic modern poetic contexts, was demonstrated. They were found to be part of both usual and non-usual, potential and occasional, models utilized by modern poets who are actively creating new words in search of innovative modes of expression.

A hierarchy of basic values was established, and psychologically relevant connections within their content were examined. A survey revealed ten values regarded as most important by the respondents. Their degrees of importance were determined using a ranking analysis. Based on the experimentally derived weight indices, the first three ranks were assigned to the values of “health” (0.012), “family” (0.011), and “life” (0.009). A large number of overlapping associates (important, value, main, most importantly, calmness, etc.), which were found by comparing the associative fields of “health”, “family”, and “life”, point to the proximity of the psychological meanings of the values under study. The associative links between the values of “health” and “family” turned out to be the strongest. It is confirmed by the highest overlapping associate strength (0.0049), demonstrating the degree of closeness of the concepts and the strength of psychological connections in their content, while the stable grounds for the family–health predication are due to a large number of overlapping associates (14).

Digital technologies are evolving at an unprecedented pace, with artificial intelligence increasingly involved in the creation and dissemination of assets arising from human intellect, and thus underscoring the growing need for a more effective protection of intellectual property rights and calling for a reassessment of existing approaches to their legal regulation. Here, the key issues associated with this problem are summarized, including the determination of the legal regime for managing intellectual assets created with the use of artificial intelligence tools and the application of copyright-protected intellectual property for training generative algorithms. Various doctrinal conceptions about whether artificial intelligence is a separate legal subject or not and competing approaches to defining its legal status, the notions of an “electronic person” and a “quasi-subject” in particular, are analyzed. The conclusion is that it is necessary to establish an effective legal framework to regulate the use of artificial intelligence technologies based on an anthropocentric approach that places the protection of human rights and interests at the forefront of all interactions with technology. This framework should balance established civil law constructs with modern mechanisms of oversight and protection, thus ensuring the security of the digital environment and the safeguard of human rights in the context of digitalization.

This article examines the transformation of tax administration in certain BRICS countries, such as the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of South Africa, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and the Arab Republic of Egypt, amid the ongoing digitalization and expanding international tax cooperation. The research centers around the practical application of modern digital technology, including big data, artificial intelligence, and electronic platforms, in tax management. The findings show a variety of digital services launched in the selected BRICS countries, which are perceived as economic actors, in order to reduce their transaction costs and improve the efficiency of their tax administration. Special attention is given to the analysis of the specific methodological approaches and practical solutions these countries employ to effectively integrate digital technology into their fiscal processes. The need for creating integrated information systems facilitating data exchange among tax authorities, commercial organizations, individuals, and government agencies is emphasized. The implementation of such systems will contribute to the development of a unified information environment, resulting in more effective tax control. In the conclusion, some prospects for further development of the interplay between digital technology and tax administration are outlined, and its impact on the economic evolution of BRICS countries is discussed.

Procedural violations remain insufficiently studied, with no consistent methodological framework currently in use to support the development of viable branch-specific theories of violations of criminal, civil, and arbitration proceedings or to guide law enforcement practices associated with them. In this article, the general concept of “elements of a violation” is defined. Some of its most controversial aspects are analyzed. The universality of the four-element crime constitution theory is substantiated. The concepts of “violation” and “elements of a violation” are distinguished. The object of a procedural violation is characterized. The results show that the direct object of a procedural violation is represented by procedural legal relations, while the general object of all procedural relations is the procedural legal order, and the specific objects include a variety of forms of justice administration. The conclusion is made that most procedural violations take the form of inactions and are often described using standard and evaluative terms. The study proves that the court does not act as the subject of a procedural violation. The absence of a minimum age threshold for procedural liability is considered as a lacuna in procedural rules that should be remedied.

In this article, the results of a study that employed the systemic and formal logical methods, along with the normative reading of Russian procedural statutes, to investigate the substantive features of related procedural principles within Russian administrative proceedings are examined. The place of the principle of directness of trial proceedings both in the general system of legal principles and among the basic principles of administrative proceedings was clarified. In particular, as a legal principle, directness refers to a procedural obligation imposed on a trial court, but it manifests itself in other normative expressions through the actions performed by the subjects of administrative proceedings. Therefore, its legal effect extends far beyond the trial court and applies to all participants of administrative proceedings, regardless of their procedural status. Based on the analysis of the legislative norms and trends in Russian law enforcement practice, the substantive criteria of the principle of directness of trial in Russian administrative proceedings were formulated.

This article is devoted to estoppel, a legal mechanism preventing a party from acting inconsistently with their earlier conduct, which is widely used in Russian and foreign judicial practice. The conditions for applying estoppel, such as the establishment of reasonable trust, the adaptation of the parties’ behavior, and any manifest injustice arising as a result of the contradictory behavior, contribute to the development of a unique legal mechanism. Particular attention is paid to the classification of estoppel types in Russian law, considering their enshrinement in the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and their use in the judicial practice. Also discussed are the controversial issues related to the possibility of absorption of estoppel by the principle of good faith and its role in protecting the rights of participants in civil law relations. In conclusion, it is emphasized that estoppel is an important tool for building trust in transactions, but its application requires a thorough analysis of the circumstances of the case and compliance with the principles of fairness and good faith. It is argued that estoppel should be viewed as one of the ways for preventing the abuse of rights, which would simplify its classification and application of the corresponding legal consequences.

The legal, technical, and economic issues associated with the introduction and application of digital technologies for industrial environmental compliance monitoring in wastewater management were examined. The analysis revealed that such issues stem from: legislative gaps, low digital maturity among stakeholders, exposure of digital data to cyber threats, high equipment costs, and shortage of qualified personnel. Future directions were outlined for digitalization in this field, such as the need for a targeted regulatory reform, legal incentives for using digital technologies at pollution-generating facilities, development of specialized software, and professional training initiatives. 

This article is devoted to a comprehensive legal study of the regulation of energy efficiency and energy conservation in Russia and other countries. The importance of this issue lies in the need to integrate environmental goals into energy policy with the aim to address global challenges such as climate change and resource exhaustion. The legislative models established in the European Union, the United States, and China were analyzed in detail. Their key characteristics were identified: the systematic and target-oriented approach in the European Union, the flexible model based on market incentives and voluntary programs in the United States, and the centralized imperative regulation in China. In Russia, despite the existence of a developed legal framework, the environmental and legal regulation in this area remains fragmented. The main problems include the predominantly economic view of energy efficiency rather than an environmental one, the insufficient alignment with the climate agenda, the lack of effective economic incentives for businesses and the public, and the bureaucratization of energy audit procedures. Based on the results of the comparison, specific measures for improving Russian legislation were proposed: developing a system of “green” financing and tax incentives, actively implementing energy service contracts, introducing carbon regulation mechanisms, and fostering an informed public demand for energy-efficient solutions.

In Russian labor law, all individuals employed in hazardous and dangerous occupations subject to mandatory medical examinations under Order No. 302n of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation. However, the medical commission may restrict or prohibit access to such jobs, due to increased risk and responsibility, if it finds signs of genetic disorders, including epilepsy, hemophilia, or inherited metabolic diseases. There are already documented instances of the denials of employment for public transportation drivers, workers of chemical industries, and operators of complex equipment. They confirm that the eligibility of individuals to work in conditions of high risk depends, to a significant degree, on whether or not they have genetic predisposition or conditions. The cases from the judicial practice in Russia also demonstrate how the provisions of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation are applied in courts to resolve disputes over possible effects of genetic disorders in the workplace. Therefore, it becomes evident that the theoretical problems of genetic discrimination, freedom of autonomy, respect for confidentiality, and legal guarantees are directly reflected in many real situations from healthcare practice, labor relations, and litigation. The results of this study lead to the conclusion that the existing legal regulation of employment for individuals diagnosed with genetic disorders demands a well-established legislative framework and strict adherence to ethical standards in medical and social practices.

This article examines the rationale behind prioritizing family-based care for children. The efforts undertaken by Russia’s state policy to reinforce and promote this principle and its application were discussed. Various legal means employed to protect the rights of parentless children to live and be raised in a nurturing family environment were summarized. Their diversity was specifically highlighted. Particular attention was paid to the most effective legal safeguards, including subjective rights, incentive measures, mandatory and prohibitive legal means, liability, and oversight measures. Since the existing system of legal relations is constantly evolving, they were all analyzed in terms of its overall dynamics across different stages, such as the emergence of legal relations, the exercise of rights and obligations, and the modification or termination of such relations.